Int. J. Engng Ed. Vol. 13, No. 6, p. 389±390, 1997
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# 1997 TEMPUS Publications.
Editorial
GOALS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION REDEFINED
The continuing ®nancial crisis of higher education institutions has prompted a closer look at the inherent
ef®ciency of our universities. Assessment, accreditation and quality are being re-examined and applicable
criteria and goals are being rede®ned.
The Boyer Commission report published by the State University of New York (available in hard copy
from Mary Leming at mleming@notes.cc.sunysb.edu) has come up with useful maxims for undergraduate higher education renewal. The points listed below are relevant to engineering education and
would, upon implementation, produce the kind of graduate needed by industry and prepared ready for
employment.
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Make research-based learning the standard
Construct an inquiry-based freshman year
Build on the freshman foundation
Remove barriers to interdisciplinary education
Link communication skills and course work
Use information technology creatively
Culminate with a capstone experience
Educate graduate students as apprentice teachers
Change faculty reward systems
Cultivate a sense of community
The list applies to research universities. The non-researcher is too often limited to transmitting knowledge
generated by others, but the scholar-teacher moves from a base of original inquiry. In a research university,
students should be taught by those who discover, create, and apply, as well as transmit, insights about
subjects in which the teacher is expert.
Only two of the points would need to be rede®ned for non-research universities: research-based
learning may not be relevant and graduate studies may not be part of the system. In such cases, the
research is replaced with a project and senior students are taking up tutoring tasks. In the model the
Commission proposes scholar/teachers would treat the sites of their research as seminar rooms in
which not only graduate students but undergraduates observe and participate in the process of both
discovery and communication of knowledge. Those with knowledge and skills, regardless of their
academic level, would practice those skills in the research enterprise and help to develop the pro®ciency
of others.
Even though few researchers ever escape the human temptation to compete for rewards, this model is
collaborative, not competitive. It assumes that everybodyÐundergraduate, graduate student, and faculty
member alikeÐis both a teacher and a researcher, that the educational/research process is one of discovery,
not transmission, and that communication is an integral part of the shared enterprise. In principle all the
points with the minor variations cited above apply to both research and non-research universities. A good
case can be made for crossover models where the distinction between the two types of university can be
made a continuum.
Essentially a theoretically schooled engineer should also be practically inclined; therefore internships
are vital for both research and non-research based students. Problem-based learning is typical of the
renewal trends. This is similar to project-linked learning and is coming more into practice. Problem-based
learning was adopted in all basic science classes at the University of Delaware to promote active learning
and connect concepts to applications. Students are not given all the information they need to solve the
open-ended `real-world' problems, but are responsible for ®nding and using appropriate sources. They
work in teams with access to an instructor; trained graduate or undergraduate students help lead some
groups.
It is essential that equal opportunities for development will exist for both research-based and nonresearch-based undergraduate institutions. The learning methods and technologies are compatible, and only
by avoiding a class distinction between the two, the community goal of equal opportunity in higher
education can be realized.
Michael S. Wald
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Editorial
THE ROLE OF COMPUTERS IN TEACHING MECHANICS
This special issue documents how modern computing has been applied to undergraduate mechanics
education. Since engineering mechanics is fundamental to many engineering disciplines, including aerospace, civil, and mechanical engineering, this issue will bene®t a broad range of engineering educators. Most
of the articles came from papers presented at the Workshop on Computing in Undergraduate Mechanics
Education. A few papers, however, came from submissions in response to the call for papers as well as from
regular submissions.
This special issue would not have been possible without the initiative and effort of Professor Nicholas J.
Salamon. In my opinion, the peer review process is the most important element of a journal. We appreciate
the contributions of the following individuals who served as reviewers for this special issue: Charles E.
Bakis, Bernard B. Beard, Ray W. Brown, Renata Engel, Thomas L. Geers, Gary L. Gray, Robert M.
Hackett, Michael W. Hyer, John Laf®tte, Clifford Lissenden, Victor Mucino, L. Michael Santi, Dhushy
Sathianathan, Yeu-Sheng Shiue, Alok Sinha, Mehrdad Soltani, Donald Streit, and Kau-Fui Wong. Last
but not least, Dr. Michael S. Wald, Editor-in-Chief, is acknowledged for his suggestions and co-ordinating
efforts.
Siripong Malasri
This issue is a special issue on Computers in Undergraduate Mechanics Education. The integration of
computers and the reform of curricula due to the new emphasis on synthesis over analysis has facilitated
major rethinking of engineering curricula concepts. The rethinking has been going on for a number of years
in electrical engineering, but the new tools have more recently in®ltrated mechanical engineering subjects.
Moveover, design and business components and very much more motivating science and mathematics
basics provide additional challenges and involvement for the engineering student. The set of papers
submitted for the special issue has been augmented by the contribution by Liu and Boyle whose approach
to teaching mechanisms complements and contrasts that presented in the contribution by Yin.
We are deeply indebted to Nicholas Salamon and Siripong Malasri for launching this special issue. I
know that it is hard work to get a topic together, and hope it will bene®t all those interested in the teaching
of mechanics to all engineering disciplines. We are also pleased to announce that Professor Salamon will be
joining our editorial advisory board.
Michael S. Wald